Indonesia

In Indonesia, an undersea earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale jolted Flores Island on December 14, said the US Geological survey. The epicentre of the major quake was located 112 kilometers north of the town of Maumere at a depth of 18.5 kilometers under the sea. The country's meteorological agency said, ''hazardous waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 of the quake epicentre.'' 

In Indonesia's Island of Java, a volcanic eruption occurred at 2:50 pm on December 4. It caused smoke and ash to reach as high as 40,000 ft in the air. Videos showing locals trying to escape the huge plumes, surfaced the internet. Reportedly, the region turned dark due to ash clouds. "Thick columns of ash have turned several villages to darkness," said Lumajang district head, Thoroqul Haq. 

Over a dozen shipowners paid about $300,000 apiece to the Indonesian navy to get their ships released. Reportedly, the ships were illegally anchored near Singapore in Indonesian waters. As per the shipowners, payments were given in cash to naval officials or by bank transfer to intermediaries. ''It's not true that the Indonesian navy received or asked for payment to release the ships,'' said Arsyad Abdullah, Indonesian naval fleet commander… read-more

Indonesia has planned to give booster shots of COVID-19, once 50 percent of the population are vaccinated. Besides, the government has claimed that 29 percent of its population of 270 million citizens have been vaccinated so far. Reportedly, Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said in a statement, that the plan prioritizes the elderly and poor who are insured by the government, while the rest have to pay for the vaccine.

At least two persons died and one went missing following the ''high-intensity rains on the morning of September 4'' that caused flash floods in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara. According to the country's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the flood also destroyed five residential houses and forced 26 residents in the Inerie village to run away from their houses. However, the search operation for the missing person has been launched.… read-more